Delhi Railway Station Stampede: 4 Children, 14 Women Among 18 Dead, High-Level Committee Formed

New Delhi: An unprecedented rush at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night caused a stampede near platform numbers 13 and 14; several passengers fainted, causing rush and therefore a stampede situation. The death toll in the Delhi stampede stands at 18, including 14 women and four children.

New Delhi Railway Station Stampede: Death Toll Stands at 18

The stampede caused at the New Delhi Railway Station at around 10 pm on Saturday has claimed 18 lives so far and the death toll is expected to rise further. The passengers who have lost their lives include 14 women and four children. Several others have been seriously injured and were taken to the LNJP Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. 

Compensation Announced for Victims and Families of Deceased

A compensation has been announced for the kin of the deceased and those who have been injured in the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station. The families of the deceased will be given Rs 10 lakh compensation, those who have been seriously injured will be given Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh will be given to the passengers who have suffered minor injuries.

Delhi Railway Station Stampede: Names of Deceased

1. Aaha Devi W/o Ravindee Nath R/o Buxure Bihar Age 79 Years
2. Pinky Devi W/o Upender Sharma R/o Sangam Vihar Delhi Age 41 Years
3. Sheela Devi W/o Umesh Giri R/o Sarita Vihar Delhi Age 50 Years
4. Vyom S/o Dharamveer R/o Bawana Delhi Age 25 Years
5. Poonam Devi W/o Megh Nath R/o Saran Bihar Age 40 Years
6. Lalita Devi W/o Santosh R/o Parna Bihar Age 35 Years
7. Suruchi D/o Manoj Shah R/o Muzaffarpur Bihar Age 11 Years
8. Krishna Devi W/o Vijay Shah R/o Samastipur Bihar Age 40 Years
9. Vijay Sah S/o Ram Sarup Sah R/o Samastipur Bihar Age 15 Years
10. Neeraj S/o Inderjeet Paswan R/o Vaishali Bihar Age 12 Years
11. Shanti Devi W/o Raj Kumar Manjhi R/o Nawada Bihar Age 40 Years
12. Pooja Kumar D/o Raj Kumar Manjhi R/o Nawada Bihar Age 8 Years
13. Sangeeta Malik W/o Mohit Malik R/o Bhiwani Haryana Age 34 Years
14. Poonam W/o Virender Singh R/o Mahavir Enclave Age 34 Years
15. Mamta Jha W/o Vipin Jha R/o Nangloi Delhi Age 40 Years
16. Riya Singh D/o Opil Singh R/o Sagarpur Delhi Age 7 Years
17. Baby Kumari D/o Prabhu Sah R/o Bijwasan Delhi Age 24 Years
18. Manoj  S/o Panchdev Kushwaha R/o Nangloi Delhi Age 47 Years

NDLS Stampede: High-Level Committee Formed, Probe Ordered

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity at the Railway Board, on Sunday, informed that a two-member high-level committee had been formed to investigate the matter and determine the cause of the stampede at New Delhi railway station on Saturday, which claimed around 15 lives. "A two-member high-level committee has been formed to investigate the matter," said Dilip Kumar.

Earlier, in response to the incident, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw ordered a high-level investigation to investigate the circumstances leading to the stampede-like situation. The inquiry will identify the causes of the incident and suggest measures to prevent similar situations in the future. "A high-level inquiry has been ordered by the Railways on the unfortunate incident," according to the Ministry of Railways.

What Led to the Stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station?

According to authorities, the incident occurred as a massive crowd gathered at platform no. 14, where the Prayagraj Express was stationed. Delays in the departures of Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani further exacerbated the congestion, leading to overcrowding at platforms 12, 13, and 14. Reports indicate that around 1,500 general tickets were sold, resulting in an overwhelming rush, particularly near platform no. 14 and the escalator at platform no. 1.

"An Unprecedented rush situation developed today at about 10 pm in New Delhi railway station near platforms 13 & 14. Some of the passengers present there on the platforms fainted due to this sudden rush further leading to the rumours of stampede like situation. This led to the spread of panic," according to Ministry of Railways.

According to initial reports, people going to Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj led to the massive overcrowding at the railway station. Speaking on the incident, Northern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Upadhyay said that due to an unprecedented overcrowding, passengers started pushing each other which caused injuries to some of them. Amid all this, a large crowd gathered outside the railway station, causing traffic congestion. Traffic police personnel were deployed to manage and clear the situation near the Montrose Bridge. 

DCP Railway KPS Malhotra informed that two trains were delayed, and due to extra footfall of passengers, the gathering was huge. The situation occurred due to a massive crowd within a span of 15-20 minutes. It occurred as a special train was announced, and people tried to catch that train.

‘My Mother Lost Her Life in the Chaos… There Was Too Much Pushing’: Eyewitnesses Recount Horror

One of the victims told reporters that his mother had died in the stampede. He said, "We were travelling to our home in Chhapra, Bihar , in a group, but my mother lost her life in the chaos. People were pushing each other." He added, "The doctor has confirmed to us that my mother has died." Another family member of the deceased, a woman, collapsed in grief.

One of the passengers, Dharmendra Singh, said, "I was going to Prayagraj but many trains were running late or were cancelled. The station was overcrowded. There were far more people than I have ever seen at this station. In front of me, six or seven women were taken away on stretchers." 

Another passenger, Pramod Chaurasia, said, "I had a sleeper-class ticket for Purushottam Express but even those with confirmed tickets could not board the train. One of my friends and a female passenger got stuck in the crowd. There was too much pushing and jostling. We managed to stay safe by waiting outside with our children." 

PM Modi ‘Distressed’, Offers Condolences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed his condolences on the tragic stampede which took place at the New Delhi Railway Station. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, PM Modi said, “Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured have a speedy recovery. The authorities are assisting all those who have been affected by this stampede."

The situation at the New Delhi Railway Station was soon under control, those who were injured are undergoing treatment and a high-level probe has also been launched. 

(Inputs from Agencies)